MONDAY — 29-Mar
Q. Which one
time Detroit Tiger announcer has one of the four shortest last names of any
Hall-of-Famer?
Hint: #1 He
became the first player-manager to be ejected from both ends of a doubleheader.
Hint: #2 Bill
James once called him the best player since the Baseball Writers launched their
MVP Award in 1931 who never won the award.
- Ans. He is tied with Ty Cobb for the shortest
combined first-and-last names of any HOFer.
- #1 From 1924 to 1946 in the NL and from 1907
to 1952 in the AL, if a player or manager was ejected from the first game of a
double header, they were automatically ejected from the second as well. After that rule was lifted in the NL, New York
Giants player-manager Mel Ott got himself separately tossed twice on 9-June-1946(1) & 9-June-1946(2).
- #2 Source:
The New Bill James Historical Abstract (2001)
FCR - Jeffrey Fink,
Howell, New Jersey
Incorrect guesses: George
Kell, Larry Doby, Ty Cobb, Jimmie Foxx, Dizzy Dean
TUESDAY — 30-Mar
Q. Which Hall of Famer played in every World
Series game between the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers?
Hint: #1 His first major-league manager retired from
playing to open a position for him.
Hint: #2 He was promoted from Colonel to Captain.
A. PEE WEE REESE [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Reese
played in 7 Fall Classic for the Dodgers, all vs. NYY, for a total of 44 G.
- #1 In
spring training in 1940, Dodgers’ player-manager Leo Durocher stated “Reese? He’ll do.
I’ll be the bench manager.”
- #2 Branch
Rickey named Reese (whose second nickname was “the Little Colonel”) as team
captain in 1949. “The Captain” became
his third nickname.
FCR - Abbey Garber, Dallas
Incorrect guesses: Duke Snider, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Ralph Houk
WEDNESDAY — 31-Mar
Q. Which one-time Oakland A’s player had
the most at-bats for the Atlanta Braves in the 1960's?
Hint: #1 He led the majors in hits in the “Year of
the Pitcher”.
Hint: #2 He led a successful effort to have the
Commissioner’s Office hire a representative for Latino players.
A. FELIPE ALOU [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Alou
had 2,378 AB for ATL 1966-69. Played for
OAK 1970-71.
- #1 Led
the MLB with 210 hits in 1968, tied w/Pete Rose.
- #2 In
December 1965, Commissioner William Eckert hired Bobby Maduro as a
representative in the Commissioner’s Office after Alou complained publicly that
Latino players were ostracized and misunderstood.
FCR - Jeff Kallman, Las Vegas
Incorrect
guesses: Rico Carty, Marry Alou, Hank
Aaron
THURSDAY — 01-Apr
Q. Which hitter led his league in bases on
balls for the first and only time during his age 40 season?
Hint: #1 Though he is in the top twenty all-time in
RBI, he never once won an RBI crown in any season of his 20+ year career.
Hint: #2 Some of his career stats will change despite
his being inducted into the Hall of Fame 42 years ago.
A. WILLIE MAYS [SABR Bio]
- Ans. In 1971,
he had 112 bases-on-balls. It was the
only year he walked more than 100 times.
His career total of 1,464 places him at 22nd just ahead of
Jimmie Foxx.
- #1 Seems
he was always the player being batted in.
His 2,062 R rank 7th all-time.
- #2 Thanks
to MLB’s recent recognition of Negro League stats in 2020, Mays will receive
credit for statistics generated with the Birmingham Black Barons in 1948. His career stats will change slightly. Subject to the certification of available box
scores, it appears he'll get credit for 16 additional hits (including one more
HR). However, his career BA will see a drop
from .302 to .301.
FCR - Steven Coleman, Belleville, Illinois
Incorrect
guesses: Darrell Evans, Tris Speaker,
Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Tony Perez, Ken Caminiti, Bill Dahlen
FRIDAY — 02-Apr
Q. Who played his only career game at third
base during the Philadelphia A's last game ever?
Hint: #1 His uniform number is almost an avatar for
his profile.
Hint: #2 He is the only catcher to win the MVP in
consecutive seasons.
A. YOGI BERRA [SABR Bio]
- Ans. A’s
last game domiciled in Eastern Standard Time = 26-Sep-1954
- #1 #8
- #2 MVP
1954 & 55. Had also won in 1951. None by wide margins.
FCR - Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Incorrect
guesses: Mickey Cochrane, Ernie Lombardi
SATURDAY — 03-Apr
Q. Who set the National League record with
at least forty home runs a record eight times?
Hint: #1 He once missed out on a Triple Crown by .007
points in batting average.
Hint: #2 He broke Ernie Lombardi’s career record for
the most times grounding into double plays.
A. HENRY AARON [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Hit
40+ HR in 1957, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1971
& 1973. Later tied by Barry Bonds.
- #1 In
1963, Aaron led the NL in HR w/44, led the majors w/130 RBI with a very
respectable .319. LAD’s Tommy Davis,
however, hit .326 to lead the NL & MLB.
In Aaron’s career, he led 4 X in HR, 4 X in RBI & twice in BA, just
never bunched them up in a single season.
- #2 Held
the GIDP career record of 328 for 26 years until Cal Ripken passed his career
total in 2000. Current record holder is
Albert Pujols.
FCR - Elliott Frankfother, Rock Falls, Illinois
Incorrect
guesses: Mike Schmidt, Johnny Mize,
Ralph Kiner. Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Sammy Sosa
SUNDAY
— 04-Apr
Q. Who was the last player to amass at
least 425 Total Bases in a season?
Hint: #1 He was the starting right fielder for the
last game at Old Comiskey Park and the starting right fielder for the first
game at New Comiskey Park.
Hint: #2 He once scored the only run needed a
no-hitter and he did it for the hitless team.
Hint: #3 He twice hit two triples in a game in the
same season.
A. SAMMY SOSA [SABR
Bio]
- Ans. Got
425 TB in 2001. It’s the highest total
in 53 years and the 7th highest all-time.
- #1 Sosa,
playing for the White Sox, started in RF for the last game at Old
Comiskey Park (30-Sep-1990) then started in RF
for the 1st game at New Comiskey Park (18-Apr-1991).
- #2 On
01-Jul1990, The White Sox scored
4 X to beat NYY’s Andy Hawkins. CHW
scored on a combination of walks and errors and Sosa’s R was the first. The CHW starter Greg Hibbard allowed 4 H, but
none scored.
- #3 In
1990, on each of 14-Apr & 11-Jul, Sosa banged out a duo
or trios.
FCR - Steven Wright, Naperville, Illinois
Incorrect
guesses: Minnie Minoso
Theme and Questions this
week submitted by reader Dan Schoenholz <dschoenholz@sbcglobal.net> of Walnut Creek,
CA.
WEEKLY THEME – The
seven players whose last names have most often appeared as an answer in the New
York Times Crossword since its inception in 1942, in descending order. Ott is #1, having been penciled in over 400
times.
Dan Adds, “Crossword
constructors rely inordinately on short entries, preferably with common
letters, to make their grids as smooth as possible. ALOU in puzzles is often clued by referring
to the Alou brothers or to some subset of the brothers and son/nephew Moises;
for purposes of this theme. Felipe was
credited with an appearance any time the clue referred to him specifically or
the brothers collectively. Matty, Jesus
and Moises were bench payers this week to keep the theme from being too, you
know… ‘Alou-heavy’.”
Note: As if you
needed an example, check out 60-Down in Monday’s L.A. Times crossword.
First
Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Sarah Grynpas, Toronto (after Alou)
Incorrect theme
guesses:
Monday - Youngest
players to hit a home run
- Hall
of Famers who died before the age of 50
- Hall
of Famers who have been featured on postage stamps
- Hall
of Famers who played for one team their entire career
Tuesday - Hall of
Fame players who later became broadcasters
- Shortest
Hall of Famers
- NL
Hall of Famers who played for just one team
- Hall
of farmers who went on to become announcers
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